Factoid: Did the Earthquake In Haiti Take More Lives Than Any Earthquake To Date?

Nearly every day of the year, somewhere on earth, an earthquake occurs. Most happen in unpopulated areas, or are so mild that they go unnoticed by the general public. But, there are about 18 major earthquakes a year, with those of the strongest intensity occurring about once annually. Recorded history’s most devastating earthquake occurred on this date in 1556 in Shaanxi, China. Estimated to be between 8.0 and 8.3 on the Richter scale, the earthquake leveled 98 counties and eight provinces of Central China. The destruction spanned an area of 500 miles, and some 830,000 lives were lost. In modern times, the most destructive earthquake took place in Tangshan, China, in 1976. The entire city was devastated and some 250,000 were killed. The number of victims in Haiti‘s earthquake have yet to be tallied, but some have them as high as 200,000.